SEAMEN AND FIREMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11294, 21 August 1922, Page 4

SEAMEN AND FIREMEN

CONDITIONS UNDER REVIEW LIGHTERING AND SURFING WORK. Tho hearing of the seamen’s and firemen’s dispute was continued before the Arbitration Court on Saturday morning. The court consisted of Ml Justice Frazer (President), Mr W. Scott (employers’ assessor), and Mr M. J. Reardon (employees’ assessor). Ml W. G. Smith represented the Union Steam Ship Company, and Mr T. O. Bishop the Shipowners’ Federation, and Mr W. T. Young conducted tho case for the Seamen’s Federation. The cross-examination was con tinned of Kenneth McLeay, general manage: of the Richardson Shipping Company, who had been called by Mr Bishcu. He gave further evidence on minor douses of the claims and counter-claims, particularly in reference to lightering and surfing. When the men were doing lightering work, he said,and when there was no crew on board, the men in the stokehold got waterside workers’ rates. Mr Young put several questions in respect to the payment and benefits received by- seamen for accident while bo employed. “Do you contend,” hs asked, “that the teaman ia better ofi than the waterside worker?” Witness: The seaman is better off. Not in the whole of my reoolleation has a man been incapacitated for any length of time as a result of lightering work. The seaman has a distinct ad> vantage over the waterside worker. Witness admitted that accidents happened occasionally, but stated that no lives had been lost in surfing during the List four or five years. Tbda was probably due to the discretion and capability of the officers in charge, and not to restrictions demanded by the union. After hearing further evidence from the same witness the court adoumed till to-day.